Asylum 13 is a Good Thing

Funny name for a cigar. But, a great cigar. But maybe not. Asylum Cigars is the brain child of Kevin Baxter and Tom Lazuka, both of whom come for different backgrounds. For Baxter it was first the Marines and then the corporate world, for Lazuka working with Christain Eiroa at Camacho.

When asked about the goal of Asylum Cigars to consistently deliver new and innovative taste experiences to cigar enthusiasts, Lazuka stated, “We chose to create our brand with Tabacaleras Unidas because it gives us the ability to meet our customers’ ever-evolving taste preferences. Our partnership with Christian provides access to the finest tobaccos from Nicaragua and worldwide, in addition to his extensive manufacturing knowledge and expertise. We believe we have the best of both worlds.”

For Baxter, he’s found the bridge to his true love—the artistry of cigar making. “During the process of developing the first three lines with Tom and Christian, I’ve rediscovered a sense of purpose and renewed peace of mind—Asylum, if you will.”

Asylum is under the umbrella of Tabacaleras Unidas, a new cigar manufacturing and distribution company that is currently comprised of Asylum and Eiroa’s own CLE Cigars. This helps the Asylum to the market using the combined skill of all of the cigar makers and marketers.

Now, as far as the cigar goes, the first impression comes with the band. It is at first unimposing gray black with the small Asylum logo. But then you notice a red crossing line pattern that is made of almost holographic ink. It is subtle but hints of something good inside. The stick itself is dark and oily. It promises a rich smoke. I had no problem clipping and lighting and it produced a nice volume of smoke.

The cigar was well made. It burned evenly, drew well and held a nice dark grey ash. The size that I smoked, a Robusto, seemed well packed and smoked that way.

At first light, there was a citrus note that quickly became intermingled with spice. As the cigar made its way through the first third the peppery spice continued but mellowed some. The middle portion of the cigar was filled with subtle earth notes and maybe the spice felt more like nutmeg. For the final third the flavor flattened a bit. I would rate this a ‘lunch’ or medium bodied smoke with rich flavors that were not overpowering.

Asylum 13 comes in three sizes, 5 x 50 (smoked for this review), 6 x 60, and 7 x 70. They sell for $5, $6, and $7, respectively. At this price it is a very nice smoke. I am hoping to try the larger sizes soon.